Rental Criteria

Application Process and Initial Requirements

• Each prospective resident 18 years of age or older (including an emancipated minor with proof of legal emancipation) must fully complete and submit an individualized rental application in addition to the non-refundable application fee ($55 per applicant, which covers screening and processing).
• Applications are processed on a first-come, first-qualified, first-served basis. The first complete and qualified application will be offered the rental unit.
• Incomplete applications, falsification and/or misrepresentation of any information provided may result in denial of the application.
• Standard application processing time is five (5) business days.

Occupancy Guidelines

The standard occupancy limit is two (2) persons per bedroom plus one (1) additional person per household (e.g., 3 persons for 1 bedroom, 5 persons for 2 bedrooms, etc.)  Households who exceed the standard due to the birth, adoption, placement of a minor child in foster care, or other custodial arrangements shall be permitted to remain in the unit for the duration of the lease term or for a minimum of one (1) year, whichever is longer.

Income Requirements

• Income-to-Rent Ratio: The total gross household income must be at least three (3) times the monthly rent. For applicants using Section 8, VASH vouchers, or other federal, state, or local housing rent subsidies, the requirement applies to the tenant’s share of the rent (i.e., 3 times the portion of rent the tenant pays).
• Sources of Income: All income and employment must be lawful, verifiable, paid directly to the tenant, to a representative of the tenant, or paid to the landlord on behalf of the tenant. Examples of acceptable proof of income include, but are not limited to: Current and two prior paystubs (covering last two pay periods), trust accounts, grants and/or loans, alimony/child support, social security, disability, or retirement benefits (pensions, annuities, etc.) Public assistance programs (e.g., Section 8, VASH, or other federal, state or local public rental assistance or housing subsidies), bank statements reflecting consistent funds availability, unemployment or worker’s compensation benefits, and any other written proof of lawful, verifiable income (meaning income that is sanctioned by law, or not forbidden by law, and reasonably able to be checked or demonstrated to be true or accurate).
• In the event applicant fails to meet income requirements, a qualified guarantor or co-signor who meets the Guarantor / Co-Signer Policy as expressed below, may be utilized by applicant for further consideration (conditional acceptance).

Credit History

• Credit reports will be obtained for each applicant unless the applicant has a government rent subsidy (e.g., Section 8 or VASH) and expressly chooses to provide alternative verifiable evidence of ability to pay their share of the rent, including, but not limited to, bank statements, pay records, government benefit payments, and verification of any other sources of income to demonstrate ability to pay the rent each month, as governed by SB 267.
  • If choosing to provide alternative documentation, it must be submitted within five (5) days of the application date. Failure to do so may result in application denial.
• If a credit report is obtained and used by the housing provider, the following guidelines apply:
  • All accounts in good standing required.
  • No more than two (2) accounts in collections. Three or more accounts in collections will result in application denial.
  • No open bankruptcies. Any bankruptcy within the last seven (7) years must be discharged.
  • Minimum credit score of 650 required.
  • No housing-related judgments in favor of a landlord in the last seven (7) years.
  • Medical debts and COVID-19 rental debt are explicitly excluded from credit calculations.
  • Debts discharged in bankruptcy are not counted, provided the bankruptcy discharge date was at least 24 months ago, and no new negative credit has been reported since discharge.
  • Foreclosures will not disqualify an applicant, provided they meet all other criteria.
  • Applicants who otherwise qualify but lack credit history may be approved upon securing a qualified guarantor.

Rental History

• Rental history will be verified through AppFolio’s FolioScreen screening system, which will contact previous landlords to confirm:
  • Was applicant served any notices for non-payment of rent? (If so, how many, when?)
  • How many returned NSF checks?
  • Does applicant owe you any money? (Amount? Judgment/Non-Judgment?)
  • Was applicant served any notices for lease/rules violations? (If so, what type, how many, when?)
  • If the applicant had a pet, were there any violations of your pet rules/policies? (If so, what type, how many, when?)
  • Was applicant evicted or asked to leave for cause? (If so, what was the cause?)
  • Did applicant leave the property in good condition?
• Applicants must provide at least three (3) years of positive, verifiable rental history from a landlord or property management company.
• An applicant may have no more than three (3) notices to comply with lease/rental contract in the last 24 months.
• Applicants must be current on all debts owed to previous landlords and in compliance with all lease terms.
• No eviction history within the last seven (7) years.
• One late payment and/or one returned check within the last 12 months is generally acceptable.
• Applicants With Less Than Three (3) Years of Rental History:
  • A qualified guarantor may be obtained and/or a 6-month fixed-term lease may be offered in place of a standard lease to allow for an evaluation period before committing to a long-term rental agreement.
  • Applicants who do not have a lease history must provide proof of verifiable monthly rental payments.
• An applicant may be denied if:
  • They were the perpetrator of a documented violence or a domestic violence incident.
  • They have threatened or harassed a previous landlord, property staff, or neighboring residents.
  • They have caused multiple documented disturbances that resulted in police involvement or official lease violations.

Guarantor / Co-Signer Policy

• Guarantors must submit a separate rental application and pay the applicable application fee.
• Guarantors will be subject to the same background and credit checks as the primary applicant.
• Must have a verifiable gross monthly income of at least five (5) times the monthly rent.
• Must have a minimum credit score of 700 and all credit accounts must be in good standing (i.e., no late payments, charge-offs, or delinquent/collections accounts).
• No bankruptcies in the past seven (7) years.
• Approved guarantors must sign a legally binding Guaranty Agreement, holding them responsible for all financial obligations under the lease.

Identification

• AppFolio will verify the applicant’s identity by comparing the application information with the government-issued photo ID for identity validation purposes only. If an applicant is approved and a lease is presented for signature, the government-issued photo ID will be retained for key release and tenancy verification. If the applicant is not approved or does not sign a lease, the ID will be promptly discarded.
• A government-issued photo ID is required for self-guided showings for security purposes. One ID per person aged 18 or older is required. All IDs provided for showings will be verified for identity purposes only and will not be retained after the showing.
• Social Security Numbers (SSN) are requested.

Criminal Background Checks

We conduct comprehensive background checks that include criminal history searches. Applicants with a felony conviction against person or property, or any applicant with a felony conviction for the sale or manufacture of a controlled substance, may be denied. Prior to denial of any applicant based on criminal background, we will conduct an individualized assessment of each applicant to determine whether the applicant poses a current direct threat to resident safety or property.

Animal and Pet Policy

• Accepted Pets and Restrictions
  • Allowed Pets: Cats and dogs only.
  • Maximum Pets: Two (2) per unit.
  • Restricted Breeds: Akita, Alaskan Malamute, American Wolf Dog, American Staffordshire Terrier, Chow Chow, Doberman Pinscher, German Shepherd, Pit Bull, Pit Mix, Presa Canario, Rottweiler, Shar-Pei, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Wolf, Wolf Dog Mix.
    Bite History: Pets with a documented bite incident will not be accepted.
• Screening and Rent Policy
  • All animals must be screened through PetScreening.com before approval.
  • Annual Pet Application Fee: $25 per pet, excluding assistance animals.
  • PetScreening.com assigns a FIDO Score, which determines pet rent. Rent amounts are displayed within the PetScreening platform. Note: Authorized Assistance Animals are exempt from pet rent and fees.
• Approval
  • Authorized Animals and Pets require resident to sign the “Animal Terms and Conditions” that binds to the lease agreement.

Renter’s Insurance

• Required for all tenants (regardless of pet ownership).
• Minimum coverage: $100,000 liability with a $0 deductible.
• Pet coverage must be included in the policy.

Smoking Policy

No smoking allowed on any properties.

Other Considerations

• Security Deposit & First Month’s Rent: Must be paid via cashier’s check or online payment.
• Move-in date must be at least one week from lease signing to allow time for payment clearance.
• Application fee is $55 total, broken down as follows:
  • $35 for Credit, Rental, Criminal, Income, and Identity Verification Reports provided by AppFolio FolioScreenTM
  • $5 Transaction Fee charged by AppFolio
  • $15 for processing